Aquaculture (terminated in Statistics Norway), 2005, preliminary figures

Salmon increasing

The value of salmon sold in 2005 came to NOK 11.8 billion. This is an increase of 19.5 per cent compared with 2004. The average price increased from NOK 17.49 in 2004 to NOK 20.25 in 2005. A total of almost 582 000 tonnes of salmon were sold. This is also the largest quantity ever recorded and an increase of 3.1 per cent from 2004.

For the third time in row, the sales of trout decreased. A total of 59 000 tonnes were sold, down 7.3 per cent from 2004. The value of trout sold in 2005 came close to NOK 1.25 billion, down 2.8 per cent from 2004. The average price increased from NOK 20.13 in 2004 to NOK 21.28 in 2005.

Employment down

The employment in fish farming of salmon and trout in Norway has gradually decreased since 2001. In 2005 the number of employees were 3 000 persons, 17.8 per cent fewer than in 2001. The total labour input was 4.3 million man-hours, down 15.6 per cent compared to 2001. Only 12 per cent of the employees were females, accounting for 8 per cent of all labour input.

More fish escaping

The number of salmon reported as lost/wastage amounted to 25 million in 2005, down 2.6 per cent from the previous year. About 82 per cent of these fish were counted and destroyed, while the rest was lost because of escaping, predators, theft etc.

In 2005, a number of 722 000 farmed salmons and trouts were reported escaped. This is twice the number in 2004, and the highest ever reported.

Livestock increasing

At the end of 2005 the stock of live salmon in fish farms was 393 000 tonnes, as compared with 356 000 tonnes at the end of 2004. There were 34 900 tonnes of live trout in the nets in 2005, an increase from 2004 by 23.1 per cent.

Cod is going strong

Farmed cod is the third most important species measured by quantity. 7 410 tonnes of farmed cod were sold in 2005, more than twice the amount from the previous year. Other fish species sold as farmed fish in 2005 were halibut, char, turbot, mackerel, saithe, eel and catfish.

Tables:

• Table 1 Fish farming. Sales of salmon and trout. Quantity and first-hand value. 2005
• Table 2 Fish farming. Salmon and trout. Number of workers and labour input, by type of license. 2005
• Table 3 Fish farming. Salmon. Stock of fish for food during the period 1. january 2005 to 31. december 2005. 1000 pieces
• Table 4 Fish farming. Salmon and trout. Stock of fish for food per 31 December 2005, by generation